Agilent G3388B
Leak Detector
Operation
Manual
Agilent Technologies
Notices
© Agilent Technologies, Inc. 2012
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laws.
Manual Part Number
G3388-90005
Edition
First edition, June 2012
Printed in Japan
Agilent Technologies, Inc.
2850 Centerville Road
Wilmington, DE 19808-1610 USA
Warranty
The material contained in this document
is provided “as is,” and is subject to
being changed, without notice, in future
editions. Further, to the maximum extent
permitted by applicable law, Agilent disclaims all warranties, either express or
implied, with regard to this manual and
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Safety notices
CAUTION
A CAUTION notice denotes a
hazard. It calls attention to an
operating procedure, practice, or
the like that, if not correctly
performed or adhered to, could
result in damage to the product or
loss of important data. Do not
proceed beyond a CAUTION notice
until the indicated conditions are
fully understood and met.
WA R N I N G
A WARNING notice denotes a
hazard. It calls attention to an
operating procedure, practice, or
the like that, if not correctly
performed or adhered to, could
result in personal injury or death.
Do not proceed beyond a
WARNING notice until the
indicated conditions are fully
understood and met.
Agilent G3388B Leak Detector
Operation Manual
The G3388B Leak Detector
Introduction 4
Specifications 7
Operation 9
General information 9
Displays 10
Detecting leaks 12
Setting options 13
Maintenance 16
Agilent Technologies
3
Introduction
The Agilent Technologies G3388B Leak Detector is a
portable, highly sensitive instrument designed to detect
helium and hydrogen gas leaks in gas chromatographs
(GCs) and their accessories, such as purge and trap
systems. The detector finds leaks by comparing thermal
conductivity between the ambient atmosphere and a
target gas. The detector indicates leaks through a dual
system that consists of an indicating LCD and an
audible alarm. The detector is more reliable and
convenient to use than soap solutions and is capable of
detecting even the smallest, hard-to-reach gas leaks.
Figure 1 and Figure 2 show the controls and other parts
of the meter.
Reference port
LED indicator
LCD display
Charging
terminal
FUNC/POWER key
ZERO/ENTER key
Sampled gas inlet
Sample probe
Figure 1 Front view of the meter
4
G3388B Leak Detector
Reference port
Strap eyelet
(Strap not included.)
USB cable
(for charging battery)
Figure 2 Back view of the meter, and USB cable
Use the Agilent Leak Detector only for detecting gases.
Never allow liquids or particles to enter the sample
probe or reference port.
The G3388B is not a quantitative device. It is designed
to detect leaks in gas line connections commonly
associated with laboratory equipment.
G3388B Leak Detector
5
CAUTION
WA R N I N G
6
• Do not expose the detector to shock, wet
environments, or solvents.
• Do not use the detector at temperatures outside
its specified operating range.
• Do not open the detector’s body.
• Do not use the detector to detect corrosive gases.
• Do not block the reference port (fresh air inlet) at
the top of the detector.
• The detector’s sensitivity will be adversely
affected if it is used in an area containing the
leaking gas.
• Detector sensitivity can be affected by wind.
• Do not use the detector’s micro USB cable for
other devices.
• During use, keep the detector temperature stable.
Do not use the detector while charging. Allow the
detector temperature to stabilize (cool) for 30
minutes after charging.
• Do not use the detector in areas at risk for fire,
explosion, or large leaks of flammable gas.
• When detecting small leaks of flammable
gases, make sure sufficient ventilation exists to
prevent a fire hazard.
• Do not use the detector in environments that
may be potentially contaminated with dust or
combustible fumes.
• Do not use the detector as safety equipment.
• This leak detector must not be used in Classified
(Hazardous) locations. Use of this leak detector
in a hazardous location could lead to personal
injury or death.
• The customer may not replace the battery. The
customer must return the leak detector to an
Authorized Agilent Repair Center for repair.
G3388B Leak Detector
Specifications
Detector:
Thermistor-actuated thermal conductivity cell
Thermal conductivity of He, CO2, Ar, Ne, and so forth (at 0 °C,
gases:
nonflammable, noncorrosive atmosphere)
Sensitivity:
Selectable in two ranges:
Std range: Helium 0.005 mL/min in
atmosphere
Hi range: Helium 0.0005 mL/min in
atmosphere
Battery:
Rechargeable lithium-ion battery
Charging time < 2.5 h
Continuous operation: 5 hours (with a new, fully charged battery, standard range, LED off, Buzzer off,
Backlight off)
Display:
LCD display with 8 bar graphs
8 LED lamps
Recharger:
USB cable, part number G3388-80000
Operating temperature 10 to 40 °C (noncondensing)
range:
Overall size:
50 mm (W) × 19.5 mm (D) × 111 mm (H)
Net weight:
95 grams (approximate)
G3388B Leak Detector
7
The sensitivity depends on the relative thermal
conductivities of the target gas and the ambient
atmosphere (typically air). The larger the difference, the
greater the sensitivity. See Table 1.
Table 1 Thermal conductivities of common gases at 0 °C,
1 atm
Gas
Thermal conductivity
(mW/m•k)
Hydrogen
168.2
Helium
142.2
Neon
46.5
Methane
30.2
Air*
24.1
Nitrogen*
24.0
Ethane
18.0
Ethylene
16.4
Argon
16.3
Carbon dioxide
14.5
Krypton
8.7
Xenon
5.2
* Not detectable
8
G3388B Leak Detector
Operation
General information
NOTE
Before first use and after a long period of disuse, fully
charge the battery. See “Charging the battery” on
page 16.
To determine whether a GC or a GC accessory is leaking
gas, place the Agilent Leak Detector’s sample probe
near the suspected leak. Make sure that the sample
probe remains open during leak detection. Be careful
not to place the probe’s tip against the connection or
fitting that you are checking.
Protect the detector from vibration while it is operating.
NOTE
Be aware that the detector will give a positive response
to water vapor, for example to skin vapor and to fittings
that were recently leak checked with a soap solution.
Periodically replace the filter (part number
G3388-80001) that is attached at the inlet of the sample
probe. See “Replacing the filters” on page 17.
G3388B Leak Detector
9
Displays
Warmup display: At startup, the detector warms up for
25 s when set for standard range, or 90 s when set for
high range sensitivity. Press [ZERO/ENTER] to skip
warmup.
After warmup, the detector is ready for use.
Standard and high range displays:
Range
Battery indicator
R_Std
Leak
indicator
(LED)
Leak
indicator
(LED)
Leak indicator (LCD)
Range
R_Std
Standard sensitivity range
R_Hi
High sensitivity range (10 times more sensitive
than standard range)
Battery indicator
The Battery indicator shows the battery charge level in 3 levels.
10
3 bars
Ample charge. Greater than 50% charge
remaining
2 bars
Low charge. Battery charge about 20–30%.
1 bar
Very low charge. Battery charge required. About
10 minutes of use remaining.
G3388B Leak Detector
Leak indicator (LCD display)
When the leak gas is detected, displays a bar graph. The number
of bars indicates the relative size of the gas leak (maximum
8 bars).
Zero point
display
When measuring clean ambient air, the first bar
alternates between ■ and □ when the detector
becomes stable.
Leak display
■: Indicates a gas leak for a gas with a higher
thermal conductivity than air.
□: Indicates a gas leak for a gas with a lower
thermal conductivity than air.
Leak indicator (LED display)
When the leak gas is detected, the LEDs light from the bottom
left to the top, then from the bottom right to the top (maximum
8 bars). The LED indicators can be turned off if desired.
Zero point
display
When measuring clean ambient air, the green ■
or the red ■ LED blinks when the detector
becomes stable.
Leak display
■: Red indicates a gas leak for a gas with a higher
thermal conductivity than air.
■: Green indicates a gas leak for a gas with a
lower thermal conductivity than air.
G3388B Leak Detector
11
Detecting leaks
To use the detector:
1 Press and hold [FUNC/POWER] to turn on the detector. You will hear the detector begin to sample air.
Wait until the warmup completes.
2 If desired, set the sensitivity range or other settings.
See “Setting options” on page 13.
3 Check the stability at the zero point (while sampling
clean air). When stable, the leak indicator in the LCD
display will alternate between ■ and □.
• If the detector indicates a leak (more than one
bar), press [ZERO/ENTER] to reset the zero balance.
• Temperature or humidity fluctuations can impact
the zero point.
Out of zero point
ZERO adjust
R_Std
R_Hi
or
R_Std
ZERO
ENTER
4 Place the sample probe near the gas connection to
check for a leak. Do not press the probe tip against
the fittings, tubing, and so forth.
• One bar (or LED) may not indicate a leak, especially in high sensitivity mode.
• Two or more bars indicates a leak.
• An audible alarm sounds when 3 or more bars
display (with Buzzer set to On).
Turn off the detector when not in use. Press
FUNC/POWER and hold for 3 seconds.
The detector can be set to turn off automatically after
10 minutes. To enable Auto Power Off, see “Setting
options” on page 13.
12
G3388B Leak Detector
Setting options
Press [FUNC/POWER] to cycle through the setting
options or to toggle a selected function on or off. Press
[ZERO/ENTER] to select a function for editing. See
Figure 3 and Figure 4.
Table 2
Item
Function and options
Range
Select standard (Std) or high (Hi) range sensitivity. Standard is the factory default.
Buzzer
Enable/disable audible alarm for leaks that show
3 or more bars/LEDs.
LED
Turn LED indicators off/on. Turn off to conserve
battery charge.
Backlight
Turn LCD backlight on or off. Turn off to conserve
battery charge.
A.P.Off
When on, the detector turns off after 10 min of
inactivity. Turn on to conserve battery charge.
G3388B Leak Detector
13
Standard Display (Std range)
R_Std
Standard Display (Hi range)
R_Hi
or
FUNC
POWER
a) Setting the
Range
Param.Set
Range Std
Buzzer ON
ON
LED
ZERO
ENTER
Param.Set
Range Std
Buzzer ON
LED
ON
Param.Set
Range Hi
Buzzer ON
ON
LED
ZERO
ENTER
Param.Set
Range Std
Buzzer ON
ON
LED
FUNC
POWER
To “A” on Figure 4
Returns to the
Standard Display
ZERO
ENTER
Returns to the
Standard Display
Param.Set
Range Std
Buzzer ON
ON
LED
ZERO
ENTER
Returns to the
Standard Display
ZERO
ENTER
Returns to the
Standard Display
ZERO
ENTER
Returns to the
Standard Display
ZERO
ENTER
Returns to the
Standard Display
FUNC
POWER
FUNC
POWER
c) Setting the
LED lamp
ZERO
ENTER
FUNC
POWER
FUNC
POWER
b) Setting the
Buzzer
Param.Set
Range Std
Buzzer ON
ON
LED
Param.Set
Range Std
Buzzer OFF
ON
LED
ZERO
ENTER
Param.Set
Range Std
Buzzer ON
ON
LED
FUNC
POWER
Param.Set
Range Std
Buzzer ON
OFF
LED
From “B” on Figure 4
Figure 3 Setting options
14
G3388B Leak Detector
A
d) Setting the
Backlight
B
Param.Set
Backlight
ON
A.P.Off OFF
ZERO
ENTER
Param.Set
Backlight
ON
A.P.Off OFF
ZERO
ENTER
Returns to the
Standard Display
ZERO
ENTER
Returns to the
Standard Display
ZERO
ENTER
Returns to the
Standard Display
ZERO
ENTER
Returns to the
Standard Display
FUNC
POWER
FUNC
POWER
e) Setting the
Automatic
Power Off
Param.Set
Backlight
ON
A.P.Off OFF
Param.Set
Backlight
OFF
A.P.Off ON
ZERO
ENTER
Param.Set
Backlight
ON
A.P.Off OFF
FUNC
POWER
FUNC
POWER
Param.Set
Backlight
ON
A.P.Off ON
Figure 4 Setting options, continued
G3388B Leak Detector
15
Maintenance
Charging the battery
Charge the battery when the LCD display is blank or
when the battery indicator shows less than 3 bars.
Low battery
(20-30% charge)
R_Std
Very low battery
(≤10 min.)
To charge the battery:
1 Turn off the detector.
2 Connect the detector to a PC USB port using the USB
to micro USB cable (part number G3388-80000).
3 Allow to charge for approximately 2.5 hours.
Do not use the detector with the cable attached.
The detector and battery may become warm while
charging.
After charging the battery, allow the detector to
stabilize (cool) for 30 minutes before use.
CAUTION
16
Because the battery gets warm while charging, allow
the detector to stabilize (cool) for 30 minutes before
use. The detector should be thermally stable for best
performance.
G3388B Leak Detector
Replacing the filters
The detector includes filters on the sample probe and
reference port to protect against particulate
contamination. A decrease in sensitivity can indicate a
clogged filter. Replace the filters as described below.
• Replacement sample probe filter: G3388-80001
• Replacement reference port filter: G3388-80002
To replace the sample probe filter
1 Turn off the detector.
2 Unscrew the probe halves and disassemble the
probe.
3 Use long-nosed pliers to remove the old filter.
4 Install the filter into the probe base as shown below.
Sampling probe
Probe tip
Filter
Probe base
G3388B Leak Detector
17
5 Install the new filter over the PTFE tubing as shown
below.
Filter
PTFE tubing
6 Reassemble the probe halves.
To replace the reference port filter
To replace the reference port filter, remove the old filter
from the detector body, then insert a new filter.
Reference port
filter
18
G3388B Leak Detector
Agilent Technologies
G3388-90005